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Walker, 70, said a catalytic converter caught some grass on fire at about 11:30 a.m. near the large shed and garage where at least 40 classic cars he's collected over about 50 years were housed on the land where he's lived all of his life. The road is appropriately named Studebaker.

Walker thought he extinguished the fire with a garden hose. But it ignited leaves in the shed area and quickly spread.

“With the wind blowing, there was nothing I could do but look at it,” Walker said.

There were also two Land Rovers, a Rolls Royce and a John Deere tractor that Walker had recently bought inside the shed.

When firefighters from Chesnee, Cherokee Creek, Macedonia, Mayo and Cliffside, N.C., arrived, they found about 40 cars on fire in the shed, plus a tour bus the family used for vacations. A small part of a wooded area also caught fire and S.C. Forestry responded, plowing a line around the fire to contain it, said Cherokee Creek Capt. Billy Bishop.

Firefighters had to shuttle water from the nearest hydrant, at least a mile away, Bishop said. When an oversized wrecker arrived from Patterson's Wrecker in Chesnee to pull the still-burning bus out of the shed, firefighters had to unhook their hoses to let the huge hauler get to the building.

After the bus was pulled out, firefighters used saws to cut a side of it off to continue fighting the blaze, which was burning through the interior and tires of the bus and sending black, acrid smoke into the air.

The Cherokee County Fire Investigation team was on the scene Wednesday afternoon. Bishop said right now the fire is considered accidental. He expected firefighters to remain on scene through the evening to put out hot spots.

The fire call came in shortly before fighters had eaten lunch. Several crews took breaks in the Walkers' front yard, eating Bantam Chef burgers and drinking Gatorade.

Walker's grandson, Phoenix Lawter, 10, who lives nearby on Studebaker Road, said he saw the smoke from Chesnee Elementary School.

“I knew it was close to our house,” said Phoenix, who has a budding interest in Studebaker vintage race cars.

Walker's interest in vintage vehicles is well known. There are vintage cars on display inside the Chesnee Bantam Chef, which Walker and his wife, Sandra, have owned for about 45 years and where they still work five days a week.

Walker told the Herald-Journal in 2009 that he owned 150 Studebakers, and that he liked how each car was different — from sedans that look like the perfect cars for taking grandma on a Sunday drive to sporty muscle cars.

In a 2005 HJ Weekly article, Walker said he owned Studebakers ranging in age from a 1939 sedan to a 1966 Cruiser made during the Studebakers' last production year. People come to David Walker with vehicles to sell, and he was always looking for a good deal.

David Walker can't remember a time without Studebakers in his life. He had a brother 20 years older who collected and tinkered with them.

“I grew up around them,” he said. “I was out here every day working on them. That was my main job.”

He's traveled far for his favorite collectibles, once driving to Nebraska to pick up a Studebaker truck.

Sandra Walker said her husband is always coming home with something “new,” like a corn shucker also lost in the shed fire. The front of the shed was decorated with vintage signs, for Coca Cola and Biltmore Ice Cream, and a Texaco sign stands nearby.

“There were so many memories, just so many of his prized possessions,” Sandra Walker said.

A Ford Fairlane that was a son's first car in high school, and a rare 3-door crew cab Studebaker truck, also were destroyed.

“He kept adding to the garage to add more cars,” Sandra Walker said. “He liked to have them where he could look out the window and see them right there.”

If one were to look out of a window on the other side of the Walkers' large brick home, they would see another garage that still houses a few precious Studebakers. The garage is near a log cabin that belonged to David Walker's great-grandmother.

There may be a few cars left in David Walker's Studebaker fleet, but the majority was lost in the blaze, Walker said with resignation in his voice as he watched the firefighters work.

“When you collect cars, can't nobody afford insurance on all of them,” he said.

Friends, family, neighbors and Bantam Chef employees stopped by, many of them hugging the Walkers and asking Sandra how David was doing.

Sandra Walker said her husband's face was blistered as he neared the flames to save two vehicles from destruction.

“They were just like his children,” Sandra Walker said. “He loved them. He always wanted to rescue them from the crusher.”

<p>CHESNEE - A lifetime collection of vintage cars, mostly Studebakers, and other vehicles went up in flames at the Cherokee County home of Bantam Chef owner David H. Walker on Wednesday.</p><p>Walker, 70, said a catalytic converter caught some grass on fire at about 11:30 a.m. near the large shed and garage where at least 40 classic cars he's collected over about 50 years were housed on the land where he's lived all of his life. The road is appropriately named Studebaker.</p><p>Walker thought he extinguished the fire with a garden hose. But it ignited leaves in the shed area and quickly spread.</p><p>“With the wind blowing, there was nothing I could do but look at it,” Walker said.</p><p>There were also two Land Rovers, a Rolls Royce and a John Deere tractor that Walker had recently bought inside the shed. </p><p>When firefighters from Chesnee, Cherokee Creek, Macedonia, Mayo and Cliffside, N.C., arrived, they found about 40 cars on fire in the shed, plus a tour bus the family used for vacations. A small part of a wooded area also caught fire and S.C. Forestry responded, plowing a line around the fire to contain it, said Cherokee Creek Capt. Billy Bishop.</p><p>Firefighters had to shuttle water from the nearest hydrant, at least a mile away, Bishop said. When an oversized wrecker arrived from Patterson's Wrecker in Chesnee to pull the still-burning bus out of the shed, firefighters had to unhook their hoses to let the huge hauler get to the building.</p><p>After the bus was pulled out, firefighters used saws to cut a side of it off to continue fighting the blaze, which was burning through the interior and tires of the bus and sending black, acrid smoke into the air.</p><p>The Cherokee County Fire Investigation team was on the scene Wednesday afternoon. Bishop said right now the fire is considered accidental. He expected firefighters to remain on scene through the evening to put out hot spots.</p><p>The fire call came in shortly before fighters had eaten lunch. Several crews took breaks in the Walkers' front yard, eating Bantam Chef burgers and drinking Gatorade.</p><p>Walker's grandson, Phoenix Lawter, 10, who lives nearby on Studebaker Road, said he saw the smoke from Chesnee Elementary School.</p><p>“I knew it was close to our house,” said Phoenix, who has a budding interest in Studebaker vintage race cars.</p><p>Walker's interest in vintage vehicles is well known. There are vintage cars on display inside the Chesnee Bantam Chef, which Walker and his wife, Sandra, have owned for about 45 years and where they still work five days a week.</p><p>Walker told the Herald-Journal in 2009 that he owned 150 Studebakers, and that he liked how each car was different — from sedans that look like the perfect cars for taking grandma on a Sunday drive to sporty muscle cars.</p><p>In a 2005 HJ Weekly article, Walker said he owned Studebakers ranging in age from a 1939 sedan to a 1966 Cruiser made during the Studebakers' last production year. People come to David Walker with vehicles to sell, and he was always looking for a good deal.</p><p>David Walker can't remember a time without Studebakers in his life. He had a brother 20 years older who collected and tinkered with them. </p><p>“I grew up around them,” he said. “I was out here every day working on them. That was my main job.”</p><p>He's traveled far for his favorite collectibles, once driving to Nebraska to pick up a Studebaker truck.</p><p>Sandra Walker said her husband is always coming home with something “new,” like a corn shucker also lost in the shed fire. The front of the shed was decorated with vintage signs, for Coca Cola and Biltmore Ice Cream, and a Texaco sign stands nearby.</p><p>“There were so many memories, just so many of his prized possessions,” Sandra Walker said.</p><p>A Ford Fairlane that was a son's first car in high school, and a rare 3-door crew cab Studebaker truck, also were destroyed.</p><p>“He kept adding to the garage to add more cars,” Sandra Walker said. “He liked to have them where he could look out the window and see them right there.”</p><p>If one were to look out of a window on the other side of the Walkers' large brick home, they would see another garage that still houses a few precious Studebakers. The garage is near a log cabin that belonged to David Walker's great-grandmother.</p><p>There may be a few cars left in David Walker's Studebaker fleet, but the majority was lost in the blaze, Walker said with resignation in his voice as he watched the firefighters work.</p><p>“When you collect cars, can't nobody afford insurance on all of them,” he said.</p><p>Friends, family, neighbors and Bantam Chef employees stopped by, many of them hugging the Walkers and asking Sandra how David was doing.</p><p>Sandra Walker said her husband's face was blistered as he neared the flames to save two vehicles from destruction.</p><p>“They were just like his children,” Sandra Walker said. “He loved them. He always wanted to rescue them from the crusher.”</p>